A flag depicting a cartoon baby with the slogan "Please Let Me Live" etched along the bottom doesn't mean city hall took a pro-life stance, according to city clerk cliff Skauge.
"If the mayor's proclaimed it, it's in respect of a request of the organization to proclaim it," said Skauge. "The city doesn't necessarily agree with the views and rights of those proclaiming it."
The "Celebrate Life Week" proclamation, slated for May 4-10, was requested by the Prince Albert Right to Life Association and signed by Mayor Jim Scarrow.
Proclamations commonly come with a flag raising, added Skauge.
"If the proclamation is approved, and if they ask to fly a flag, we do fly the flag," said Skauge.
The city's procedure bylaw addresses proclamations in the city.
Proclamations are first sent to the city clerk's office and then forwarded to the mayor's office.
In accordance with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, the mayor may approve a proclamation so long as it doesn't promote a business, doesn't promote hate or involve other illegal activities or contain any "inflammatory, obscene or libelous statement."
The city has to move carefully so not to violate the human rights code by blocking proclamations that don't specifically break any rules set out through the bylaw.
"The city must be careful with human rights ... a proclamation does not necessarily set out the city's views on it," reiterated Skauge.
This proclamation made four statements, including "the Prince Albert Right to Life Association believes human life at every stage must be respected and protected."
City manager Robert Cotterill said cities that allow proclamations must be accepting to all concepts that don't blatantly break human rights codes or the bylaw.
"You either don't have proclamations, or if you do, you don't discriminate," said Cotterill. "It's that simple."
City proclamation no sign of endorsement
City proclamation no sign of endorsement
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- Published on May 9th, 2009
- Published on November 3rd, 2009
- Joshua Pagé
'Please let me live' flag not tied to city hall stance, says City clerk
A flag depicting a cartoon baby with the slogan "Please Let Me Live" etched along the bottom doesn't mean city hall took a pro-life stance, according to city clerk cliff Skauge.
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Comments
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- DP
- - November 20th, 2009 at 12:03:50
Right to choice movement?? You mean the right to kill movement. If you choose not to keep the baby that's one thing, choosing to take it's life by killing it is quite another.
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- dougie
- - November 20th, 2009 at 08:10:11
A fetus is not a baby.
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- B
- - November 20th, 2009 at 07:10:49
Interested party from SK... I have to disagree with you... as a pro lifer, we don't belong to a group of people who commit heinous crimes and hurl insults. We belong to a group of people who believe that EVERYONE has a right to life, and that NO ONE has the right to take that life, at ANY STAGE. We believe that life starts at conception, and that it is morally wrong to take that life. Just because abortion is legal does NOT make it right.
I would love to hear someone try to justify the termination of a baby's life... and don't tell me that a fetus isn't a baby. I have had children, and ultrasounds as early as 6 weeks, and I saw that precious little heart beating. If that isn't a life, I'd like you to tell me what it is then! -
- ThinIce
- - November 20th, 2009 at 06:54:37
I reiterate, this illustrates why City Hall should get out of the Proclamation business and stick to civic administration. Issues that are not decided at the local level should not be debated at the local level. Civic administration exists for providing and supporting municipal infrastructure and should stick to that mandate. Healthy debate belongs in many human forums, but this issue does not belong on the municipal agenda.
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- Interested Party
- - November 19th, 2009 at 21:43:05
mj...what the f**k has this got to do with discrimination? Seriously... It is a little suspicious on the timing with the Walmart baby and that pathetic excuse for a human that bore the baby, but discrimination, give me a break. I think it is yet another example of poor judgment on behalf of our mayor , unless he is going now publicly support the Right to Choice movement...
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- Interested Party
- - November 19th, 2009 at 21:05:40
You see DP, Will I disagree with your ProLife stance, I do agree with your right to your opinion. Do you see pro choicer's pounding on your door, hurling insults, bombing doctor office's etc etc...For the record I don't know you, and doubt you have partcipated in any criminal activity, but as a pro lifer, you belong to group of people who think its all right to commit heinous crimes in attempt to show how compasionate to human life you are. And don't bother replying that abortions are heinous crimes, cause last time I checked, they are legal in Canada. My point in replying to mj was where is the discrimination she so readly see's. As far as I am concerned, city concil and the mayor have no right to publicly support one side of such a heated topic, and not the other...
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- mj
- - November 19th, 2009 at 19:51:10
hmm i wonder if it has anything to do with the trial of the walmart baby ......ya thats totally not discriminating or anything lol wow.
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- B
- - November 19th, 2009 at 19:45:45
So, the people that have issue with this proclamation believe that babies are WITHOUT the right to life? That someone should be able to decide out of their own wants whether or not that child deserves life? Life should be supported and promoted and cherished- all life! Anyone who believes other wise has clearly never felt their child move inside their belly, or felt their child kick from the inside. They have never seen that tiny little heart beat on an ultrasound AT 6 WEEKS. They have never lost a child and mourned and wished for that little precious life to be returned. I can't believe that this is even an issue. Life is the most precious thing, especially the life of a child. There should be no issue here.
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- ThinIce
- - November 19th, 2009 at 14:42:52
This illustrates why City Hall should get out of the Proclamation business and stick to civic administration. Issues that are not decided at the local level should not be debated at the local level. Civic administration exists for providing and supporting municipal infrastructure and should stick to that mandate.
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- Dougie
- - November 19th, 2009 at 04:43:18
The mayor is the one who decides what to proclaim or not proclaim. Acting on behalf of the citizens of Prince Albert to fly the flag of an anti-abortion group at city hall is a deliberate and calculated provocative political statement . This action by Mayor Scarrow is completely inappropriate.
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- Dougie
- - November 19th, 2009 at 03:45:09
I also think that making the fetus on the flag look baby-like is a cheap attempt to blur the lines between the two. Abortion is available on request in Canada for women who make that choice and it is completely paid for by tax-payer dollars through Medicare. Proudly flying the anti-abortion flag at the building that belongs to all citizens of this city is just wrong. The abortion debate has no place on the municipal agenda
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- dougie
- - November 19th, 2009 at 01:21:20
The way I see this is Mayor Scarrow promoting the anti-choice side of the abortion debate, then having one of his underlings deny it. Pretty sneaky ! But completely not the role of municipal government.
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- Big
- - November 18th, 2009 at 20:46:07
What is wrong with the City taking the view that it supports life? We have become so politically correct nowadays that we don't want to step on anyones toes that we are afraid to speak up and say what we think. The City has no problem taking the stance of Violence Free Community yet we have one of the highest rates of assault per capita in the country? and that is only the assaults that are reported.
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- B
- - November 18th, 2009 at 20:44:55
A fetus is NOT a baby? Really? What would you say it is then, Dougie? You see, I have had 3 babies, and have seen each one of them on the ultrasound screen, hearts beating, moving around, at an age where LEGALLY I could have aborted them. Maybe you should do a little research into fetal development before you make such statements... because that fetus is very much alive, whether you choose to call it a baby or not. And no one should have the right to take another's life.
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- Don
- - November 18th, 2009 at 15:03:23
Perhaps they meant: child abandonment when you give birth unexpectedly is okay!!!
